Hand-grenade for fire-extinguishing purposes.



No. 638,78l. Patented Dec. l2, I899.

A. WEBSTER.

HAND GRENADE FOR FIRE EXTINGU ISHING PURPOSES.

(Application filed Dec. 30, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLEN WEBSTER, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS. I

HAND-GRENADE FOR FIRE-EXTINGUISHING PURPOSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,781, dated December 12, 1899.

Application filed December 30, 1897. Serial ITO-664,718. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEN WEBSTER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in Springfield, in the county of I-Iampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hand-Grenades for Fire-Extinguishing Purposes, of. which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and letters of reference marked thereon.

In the drawings, like letters of reference indicating like parts, Figure l is a sectional view of a shell, showing springs and springholding disk in full lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the spring-holding disk with springs arranged in the central opening. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a half-shell and a binding-strap. Fig. 7 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing a binding-piece arranged on the line of the division between the two parts of the shell; and Fig. 5 is a sectional View, on an enlarged scale, of a section of shell with binding-strap resting in a recess.

In detail,- 0. and b indicate two parts of the shell; 0, a spring-holding disk; cl, springs; e and f, binding-straps.

The object of my invention is to provide a device by which a fire-extinguishing compound maybe thrown to the desired position, so as to more effectually operate, and a device which can be thrown from a distance from which it is very difficult to project a stream or to throw a powder.

Although the device is especially designed to be employed with a dry powder compound, it will readily be seen that it may be employed with a fluid.

The shell is friable or breakable, and the disk is also of similar material or of a material that will easily break.

While I have shown a disk for maintaining the springs under pressure, it will readily be seen that other contrivances might be employed with a like result, and it will also be seen that springs may be mounted in either of the openings in the disk, the object of the springs being to scatter the fire-extinguishing compoundwhen the shell is broken.

As at present advised I prefer to shape the shell in spherical form, employing a material like plaster-of-paris or similar material properly molded, and that the two hemispheres be united by any suitable means. For this purpose I have shown a strap traversing the circumference and entering recesses each side of the division-line between the two half shells. This strap may be made of plasterof-paris and run in or of sheet-lead or similar material and may be forced into the annular recesses,if preferred. I have also shown a strap f extending around the shell at right angles to the line of separation, and it is preferable that this be embedded in the shell, seats to avoid lateral displacement.

The spring-holding device may .be made of plaste r-of-paris or other like friable substance, so that when the shell is broken the springholding disk will also be broken, thus releasing the springs from tension and allowing them to expand, thus throwing the contents in various directions, the springs being arranged so that a portion will force the material in one direction while a portion throws the material in another direction or other directions.

While a glass shell may be used, it is more expensive than an earthenware or plaster-ofparis shell.

Having therefore described my invention, what'I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. The combination of a breakable shell with springs arranged therein substantially as shown.

2. A combination of a breakable shell, a spring-holding device arranged therein and springs in the spring-holding device.

3. The combination of a breakable shell, a fire-extinguishing compound therein, and an automatically-expansible mechanism within the shell to scatter the compoundwhen the shell is broken.

4. The combination of two shells, means to hold the same together springs arranged therein under tension, the same being released when the shell is broken, substantially as shown.

ALLEN WEBSTER.

Witnesses:

S. SWEENEY, CHARLES H. BEcKWITH. 

